Exploring the other side of the Atlantic.

City University London

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Normally exams occur after the winter holiday, but lucky for us we have to take them before we leave- which means I have papers and exams due at the same time.

The all-too-familiar hazy feeling of overwhelming stress you get during finals is starting to creep up on me. I’ve tried to put it off as long as possible, but some parts of university life are inevitable.

The sleeplessness caused by a brain that doesn’t know when to turn off has returned. London had been insomnia-free.

Three papers and two exams separate me from a blissful reunion with my kin and country. They are also the only thing keeping me from being torn away from a city I’ve only just begun to make my own.

Today I toured the Palace of Westminster which is where Parliament meets. The tour is normally only for a first-year course my professor teaches, but he had a few extra spots for the class I’m in. I’m glad I got the chance to go because my course really only focuses on political scandals. Continue reading →

It’s been almost a week since I last posted anything. This stems primarily from the fact that I haven’t been doing much other than going to class and working on assignments.

I had an essay plan due and a feature article to write ( and conduct interviews for) this past week and have final exams and essays due in 3 weeks.

Fortunately after exams I have three days of free time to squeeze in all of the London things I haven’t done yet. Then I am going to be in Edinburgh for three days before flying home for Christmas. And thus will conclude my European adventure. Continue reading →

I jinxed myself. I couldn’t switch out of the class I wanted to switch out of, so I’m stuck with classes on Monday mornings, Thursdays and Friday mornings. No four-day weekends for me.

I wasn’t going to do that much continental travel during the semester ( aside from our “fall break”), but this puts a huge dent in my Ireland plans. I was going to visit Janie in Cork for three days and do two days in Dublin, but it looks like I’ll only be doing two and half days in Cork. I might plan a two-day trip to Dublin later in the semester, but it’s going to cost me a lot more since I won’t already be in the country.

Despite my surname, I apparently did not inherit the luck of the Irish. It’s probably my ancestors punishing me for studying in enemy territory.

Today was orientation at CUL. It was about as exciting as it sounds. Which is, not at all. I was essentially stuck in a room full of other Americans for the day. Most of them were grouped off because they came from the same schools so it was really weird.

We also did a brief walking tour of the neighborhood near CUL(pictures at the end of this post).